Four Great Inventions ancient China- so in the book of the same name famous explorer Chinese culture Joseph Needham christened paper, printing, gunpowder and the compass, invented in the Middle Ages. It was these discoveries that contributed to the fact that many areas of culture and the arts, previously accessible only to the rich, became the property of the general public. The inventions of ancient China made long-distance travel possible, which made it possible to discover new lands. So, let's look at each of them in chronological order.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 1 - Paper
Paper is considered the first great invention of ancient China. According to Chinese records of the Eastern Han Dynasty, invented paper Han Dynasty court eunuch Cai Long in 105 AD.
In ancient times in China, before the advent of paper, they used bamboo strips rolled into scrolls, silk scrolls, wooden and clay tablets etc. The most ancient Chinese texts or "jiaguwen" have been found on turtle shells that date back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. (Shang Dynasty).
In the 3rd century, paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The paper production technology developed by Cai Lun consisted of the following: a boiling mixture of hemp, mulberry bark, old fishing nets and fabrics was turned into pulp, after which it was ground to a homogeneous paste and mixed with water. A sieve in a wooden cane frame was immersed in the mixture, the mixture was scooped out with the sieve, and the liquid was shaken to drain. At the same time, a thin and even layer of fibrous mass was formed in the sieve.
This mass was then tipped onto smooth boards. Boards with castings were placed one on top of the other. They tied the stack together and placed a load on top. Then the sheets, hardened and strengthened under the press, were removed from the boards and dried. A paper sheet made using this technology was light, smooth, durable, less yellow and more convenient for writing.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 2 - Printing
The advent of paper, in turn, led to the advent of printing. The most ancient famous example woodblock seals are a Sanskrit sutra printed on hemp paper between approximately 650 and 670 CE. However, the first printed book with standard size The Diamond Sutra is believed to have been made during the Tang Dynasty (618–907). It consists of scrolls 5.18 m long. According to the researcher traditional culture China to Joseph Needham, the printing methods used in the calligraphy of the Diamond Sutra are far superior in perfection and sophistication to the miniature sutra printed previously.
Typesetting fonts: Statesman and the Chinese polymath Shen Kuo (1031–1095) first outlined the method of printing using typeface in his work “Notes on the Stream of Dreams” in 1088, attributing this innovation to the unknown master Bi Sheng. Shen Kuo described process production of baked clay type, printing process and production of typefaces.
Bookbinding Technique: The advent of printing in the ninth century significantly changed the technique of binding. Towards the end of the Tang era, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets resembling a modern brochure. Subsequently, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center, making a “butterfly” type binding, which is why the book has already acquired a modern look. The Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) introduced stiff paper spines, and later during the Ming Dynasty sheets were stitched with thread.
Printing in China has made a great contribution to the preservation of the rich culture that has developed over centuries.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 3 - Gunpowder
Gunpowder is believed to have been developed in China in the 10th century. It was first used as a filling in incendiary projectiles, and later explosive gunpowder projectiles were invented. Gunpowder barreled weapons, according to Chinese chronicles, were first used in battles in 1132. It was a long bamboo tube into which gunpowder was placed and then set on fire. This “flamethrower” caused severe burns to the enemy.
A century later, in 1259, a gun that fired bullets was invented for the first time - a thick bamboo tube that held a charge of gunpowder and a bullet.
Later, at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread in the Celestial Empire.
Inventions of ancient China: the earliest artistic image gunpowder weapons, the era of five dynasties and ten kingdoms (907-960 AD). The painting shows Mara trying in vain to seduce the Buddha: in the upper part, demons threaten the Buddha with fire
In addition to military affairs, gunpowder was also actively used in everyday life. Thus, gunpowder was considered a good disinfectant in the treatment of ulcers and wounds, during epidemics, and it was also used to poison harmful insects.
However, perhaps the most “bright” invention that appeared thanks to the creation of gunpowder are fireworks. In the Celestial Empire they had special meaning. According to ancient beliefs, evil spirits are very afraid bright light And loud sound. Therefore, since ancient times, on the Chinese New Year, there was a tradition in the courtyards of burning bonfires made of bamboo, which hissed in the fire and burst with a bang. And the invention of gunpowder charges undoubtedly frightened the “evil spirits” seriously - after all, in terms of the power of sound and light, they were significantly superior to the old method. Later, Chinese craftsmen began to create multi-colored fireworks by adding various substances to gunpowder.
Today, fireworks have become an indispensable attribute of New Year celebrations in almost all countries of the world.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 4 - Compass
The first prototype of the compass is believed to have appeared during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when the Chinese began to use magnetic iron ore oriented north-south. True, it was not used for navigation, but for fortune telling. IN ancient text"Lunheng", written in the 1st century AD, in chapter 52 ancient compass is described as follows: “This instrument resembles a spoon, and if it is placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south.”
Description magnetic compass to determine the cardinal directions was first set forth in the Chinese manuscript “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. The compass worked on the principle of residual magnetization from heated steel or iron blanks, which were cast in the shape of a fish. The latter were placed in a bowl of water, and as a result of induction and residual magnetization, weak magnetic forces. The manuscript mentions that this device was used as a heading indicator paired with a mechanical “chariot that points south.”
A more advanced compass design was proposed by the already mentioned Chinese scientist Shen Ko. In his “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” (1088), he described in detail magnetic declination, that is, deviation from the direction of true north, and the device of a magnetic compass with a needle. The use of a compass for navigation was first proposed by Zhu Yu in the book “Table Talks in Ningzhou” (1119).
Note:
In addition to the four great inventions of ancient China, the craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following useful things: the Chinese horoscope, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, gong, martial arts “wushu”, qigong health gymnastics, fork, noodles, steamer, chopsticks, tea , soy cheese tofu, silk, paper money, varnish, toothbrush made of bristles, toilet paper, kite, gas cylinder, board game Go, playing cards, porcelain and much more.
Chinese discoveries in the area are not on the list either. natural phenomena made in the study of the human body, other biological organisms, or made during the study environment and solar system.
The Chinese invented original technologies in the fields of mechanics, hydraulics, mathematics as applied to time measurement, metallurgy, astronomy, agriculture, design of mechanisms, music theory, art, navigation and methods of warfare. In (403-221 BC) the Chinese had the most advanced technology in metallurgy, including blast furnaces, and the forge and puddling process were known during (202 BC - 220 AD). The emergence of complex economic system in China gave birth to such an invention as paper money during the period (960-1279). The invention of gunpowder (at least in the 10th century) gave rise to a number of unique inventions, such as the burning spear, and airfoil rockets. Using a navigational compass and a stern-rod wheel known since the 1st century, Chinese sailors reached great success in controlling a ship on the high seas, and in the 11th century. they swam to East Africa and Egypt. As for water clocks, the Chinese have used an anchor mechanism since the 8th century, and a chain drive since the 11th century. They also created large mechanical puppet theaters, driven by a spoked wheel and a vending machine driven by a spoked wheel.
The contemporaneous Peiligang culture and Pengtoushan culture are the oldest Neolithic cultures in China, dating back to around 7000 BC. Inventions of the Neolithic era of prehistoric China include sickle and rectangular stone knives, stone hoes and shovels, the cultivation of millet, rice and soybeans, sericulture, the construction of structures from a, houses plastered with lime, the creation of a potter's wheel, the creation ceramic products with cord and basket design, creating a ceramic vessel with three legs (a), creating a ceramic steamer, and also creating ceremonial vessels for fortune telling. Francesca Bray argues that the domestication of oxen and buffaloes during the cultural period (3000-2000 BC), the absence of irrigation and high-yield crops in the Longshan era, the fully proven cultivation of drought-resistant grain crops that produce high yields "only when when the soil is carefully cultivated" - all this indicates that plowing was known in China at least during the Longshan culture period. This explains the high agricultural yields that led to the growth of Chinese civilization during (1600-1050 BC). Together with the subsequent invention of the seed drill, Chinese agricultural production could feed a much larger population.
Four Great Inventions
Paper
Although it is recorded in history that during the dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), a court eunuch invented a manufacturing process using new raw materials, but there are artifacts found in China such as ancient printing material and wrapping paper dating back to the second century BC. The oldest example of paper is a map from Fanmatan (放马滩) near the city of Tianshui (天水). In the third century, paper became widely used for writing, replacing traditional but more expensive materials such as rolled strips of paper, scrolls and strips of a, kiln-fired clay tablets, and wooden tablets. The earliest known fragment of paper with an inscription on it was discovered in the ruins of the Chinese tower of Tsakhortei, where the Han Dynasty army abandoned its position in 110 AD. after the attack. In the papermaking process, developed in 105 by Cai Lun, a boiling mixture of mulberry bark, hemp, old cloth and old fishing nets is pulped, ground to a paste and then mixed with water. A reed sieve in a wooden frame is lowered into the mixture, pulled out and shaken. The resulting sheets of paper are dried and then bleached under the influence of sun rays. K.S. Tom says the process was gradually improved by using leaching, polishing and glossing to produce smooth, durable paper.
Typography
Printing from wooden boards: The oldest known example of woodblock printing is leaflet c to e, which was printed on hemp paper between 650 and 670 AD. It was discovered in 1974 near the Tang (唐墓) tomb in . Korean miniature sutras, discovered in 1966 and preserved in a tower built in 751 during the era, date back to no earlier than 704, since they contain the Chinese spelling of some characters used only during the reign (690-705).
Impact on bookbinding: The advent of printing in the 9th century radically changed the technique of weaving. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets, like a modern brochure. Then, in the times (960–1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center and made into a “butterfly” binding, and the book began to look like a modern one. During the period (1271–1368), a spine made of stiff paper appeared, and during this period the sheets began to be stitched with thread. No later than the beginning of the 20th century, traditional Chinese binding was replaced by Western-style binding, and in parallel, traditional Chinese printing gave way to modern printing presses, leading the tradition from.
Powder
Although evidence of the first use of gunpowder in China dates back to (907-960), the earliest known recipe for gunpowder is recorded by Zeng Gongliang, Ding Du and Yang Weide in the 1044 military manuscript Wujing Zongyao in the era (960-960). 1279). Gunpowder, the formula of which is described, was used in incendiary bombs, which were fired from, dropped from defensive walls or hung down on iron chains used as levers. Bombs fired from mounted on ah sea vessels, secured victory over the combined forces at the Battle of Caishi (采石之战) in 1161. And the Mongol army (1271-1368) used gunpowder bombs during their unsuccessful invasion of Japan in 1274 and 1281. In XIII - XIV centuries gunpowder became more powerful (the amount of saltpeter increased to 91%), gunpowder weapons became more advanced and deadly. This is evidenced by the military manuscript "Huolongjing" of the period (1368 -1644), compiled by Jiao Yu and Liu Ji (1311-1375) and completed shortly before the death of the latter. A preface was added in 1412 when this work was published in e.
Compass
Discovered in San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, ancient artifact from the Olmec era, dating back to approximately 1000 BC, indicates that in Central America, may have used a compass from long before it was described in China, although they did not know iron, and the Chinese, after its discovery, realized that it was magnetized upon contact with lodestone. A description of the attraction of iron by hematite is found in ancient Chinese treatises: The Spring and Autumn of Mr. Lu(呂氏春秋) (Master Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals) and Huainanzi(:en:Huainanzi). During the era (202 BC - 220 AD), the Chinese began to use the north-south oriented compasses of the bucket-cup type in geomancy and other x, not for . In the classic text Lunheng(:en:Lunheng), written by Wang Chong (27 - 100 AD), in chapter 52 it is written: "This instrument is like a spoon, and when it is placed on a plate on the ground, its handle points to the south." (1031 - 1095), who lived in the era (960 - 1279), was the first to accurately describe both (deviation from the direction of true north) and a magnetic compass with a needle in his book “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” (梦溪笔谈) (: en:Dream Pool Essays) in 1088. Another author, Zhu Yu, in his book published in 1119, first mentions the use of a compass for navigation at sea. However, even before this, the military manuscript of 1044 "Wujing Zongyao" (:en:Wujing Zongyao) describes a compass based on residual magnetization from heated iron or steel blanks, cast in the shape of a fish, and placed in a bowl of water. As a result of residual magnetization and induction, weak magnetic forces arose. The manuscript records that such an instrument was used as a heading indicator along with the mechanical "South Pointing Chariot" (see below).
Before the Shang Dynasty
Below are listed in alphabetical order inventions that arose in the territory of modern China during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages.
- : Archaeological excavations showed that the use of steam for cooking began with ceramic vessels known as yang steamers. Yan consisted of two vessels: a zeng with a perforated bottom, mounted on a pot or kettle with a tripod base and an upper lid. The earliest yang steamer, dated to around 5000 BC, was discovered at the Banpo site. In the lower reaches, zeng vessels first appeared in the culture of Gemudu (5000-4500 BC) and Liangzhu (3200-2000 BC), they were used for steaming rice. There are also yang steamers excavated at several Liangzhu sites, including 3 found in Chodong and Luodong in the south of the province. Three large Yan steamers dating back to the (3000-2000 BC) culture were discovered at the Tianwang site in the western part of the province. Images various items food techniques, including yang steamers, were applied to bronze vessels during the era (1600-1050 BC). They were discovered in Fu Hao's tomb dating back to XIII century BC
- : Most early use turtle shells were found by archaeologists at the Jiahu site. Armor containing small stones various sizes and colors, were drilled with small holes and tied in pairs with each other. Similar finds were discovered in burials of the Dawenkou culture ca. 4000-3000 BC, as well as in the provinces of, and. Turtle shell rattles are mostly made from the shells of terrestrial turtles belonging to the species Cuora flavomarginata. These rattles were found in large quantities, 70 pieces were discovered at the Jiahu site, another 52 at the Dadongzi site of the Dawenkou culture, province. Clear evidence of millet cultivation in 6500 BC. found at the sites of Qishan, Peiligan and Jiahu. Archaeological finds in Tsyshan represent about 300 storage containers, millet was found in 80 of them, in total The millet storage capacity at the site is estimated at 100 tons of grain. By 4000 B.C. In most areas of Yangshao, an intensive form of cultivation of chumiza was used, skillful methods of storing crops, and tools for cultivating the soil and harvesting were created. The success of prehistoric Chinese farmers in producing millet is still reflected in the DNA of many residents. eastern Asia. Research has shown that the ancestors of these residents likely arrived in the area between 30,000 and 20,000. BC, and their genetic combination () is still found in today's populations throughout eastern Asia.
- Cultivation a: In 2002, Chinese and Japanese bands reported discovery in eastern China
fossilized phytolith of domesticated rice, apparently in use since 11,900 BC. or earlier. At the same time, the data on the phytolith are controversial nature due to potential contamination problems. Proven evidence suggests that rice was cultivated in the Yangtze Valley in 7000 BC, as evidenced by the findings of the Pengtushan culture in Bashidanog Province. By 5000 BC, rice was domesticated in the Gemudu culture near the Yangtze Delta and cooked in pots. Although millet remained the main crop in northern regions China throughout history, several sporadic attempts were made by the state to introduce rice around the Bohai Bay in the early 1st century. Currently, rice remains a staple diet in southern and northeastern China, as well as Korea and Japan.
- Usage: The earliest controversial use of salt took place in Yuncheng Lake, 6000 BC. Strictly archaeologically proven evidence for the use of salt dating back to 2000 BC was found in excavations in Zhongba Province. Historical records indicate that the monopoly on salt and iron often formed the bulk of government revenue, and this was important for state budget until the 20th century. The Treatise on Salt and Iron, written by Huang Kuan in the 1st century BC, deals with the discussion of the state monopoly on the production and distribution of salt and iron.
- : Stone plowshares triangular shape, dating back to 3500 BC, found at Majiabang culture sites around the lake. Ploughshares dating from around the same period were also discovered at nearby Liangzhu and Maqiao culture sites. David R. Harris believes that this indicates that more intensive farming began at this time in fields protected by levees. According to the classification and use methods of Mu Yongkang and Song Zhaolin, triangular ploughshares have many varieties, the starting point was the shovels from Hemudu and Luojiajiao, and in the middle of the evolution process was the small plow from Songze. Plows in the post-Liangzhu culture period used draft animals.
The origin of many of modern technologies can be traced back to ancient China. Let's look at some inventions of ancient China.
Right from the moment of their existence, people have strived to improve the quality of their lives. It started with innovations and innovations that helped them obtain food and protect themselves. Over time, people have invented many different things, such as clothing, weapons, the wheel, gunpowder, ceramics, etc. Thus, human history strewn with numerous inventions and discoveries, most of which are either still in use by mankind or are seen as the forerunners of some of today's technologies. If we look at such inventions, we will see that Ancient China played a very important role in this. important role, since there are many inventions made in the past by the Chinese. Below we will look at just a few of China's ancient inventions.
Some ancient inventions of China
Although there are many ancient Chinese inventions, the most significant are paper making, gunpowder, the compass, and printing. These inventions led to significant changes in human history.
Paper for making and printing
Paper is one of the most widely used and necessary materials. Until the second century BC, people used very expensive and not always high-quality writing materials, such as strips of bamboo, silk scrolls, hardened clay tablets, wooden tablets, etc. Modern paper was first invented in ancient China during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). The palace eunuch Cai Lun is believed to have invented the process of making paper in 105 AD. Research shows that the Chinese people used paper for packaging and upholstery until the second century BC, but paper as a writing tool was used during the Han Dynasty. The discovery of paper led to subsequent discoveries such as paper money (during the Song Dynasty), printed engravings, and ceramic seals of the same type (around the same period).
Gunpowder and fireworks
One of the most important ancient inventions of China is the invention of gunpowder and fireworks. It is believed that gunpowder was discovered by accident by a Chinese cook. But this can be argued, some believe that Chinese alchemists discovered gunpowder in the ninth century AD. Gunpowder is believed to have been discovered sometime between 600 and 900 AD. Fireworks were also invented shortly after the discovery of gunpowder. Researchers claim that the origin of fireworks dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Following the invention of gunpowder and fireworks, a number of related discoveries followed, such as the so-called spear of fire, mines, including naval mines, cannon, exploding cannonballs, multi-stage rockets, etc.
Compass
Even though the origins of the compass in China can be traced back to the fourth century BC, it was still only a crude form of compass. There were various forms of compass that were used in ancient China, but magnetic device was invented during the Song Dynasty, and it was this compass that was used for navigation at sea. The most common was a compass with a magnetic needle that floated in water. There is also evidence that a compass with a suspended magnetic needle was also used during this period.
Other inventions of ancient China
Now you know more about the most important inventions ancient China. But there are many other inventions made in the past by the Chinese people. Here are some of them. By the time of the reign of the Qin dynasty (221 BC-206 BC), the Chinese had already invented abacus, calendar, cast iron, bells, made dishes from ceramics and metal, daggers and axes from stone and metal, paper kites, made drinks by fermentation (predecessors of wine), bone fork, lacquers and lacquerware, grew and cultivated rice and millet, drum covered with crocodile skin, noodles, chopsticks, oars, wheelbarrows, seismoscope (for detecting earthquakes), etc. .d. During the Qin Dynasty, the multiplication table, standardized money, tea, ship rudder, acupuncture, etc. were invented. Important Chinese inventions made after this period were the borehole, domino, gas cylinder, balloon, porcelain, painting, card games, toothbrush, etc.
The four great inventions of ancient China - this is how the famous researcher of Chinese culture Joseph Needham dubbed paper, printing, gunpowder and a compass invented in the Middle Ages in his book of the same name. It was these discoveries that contributed to the fact that many areas of culture and the arts, previously accessible only to the rich, became the property of the general public. The inventions of ancient China made long-distance travel possible, which made it possible to discover new lands. So, let's look at each of them in chronological order.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 1 - Paper
Paper is considered the first great invention of ancient China. According to the Chinese chronicles of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Han Dynasty court eunuch is Cai Long in 105 AD.
In ancient times, in China, before the advent of paper, bamboo strips rolled into scrolls, silk scrolls, wooden and clay tablets, etc. were used for writing notes. The most ancient Chinese texts or “jiaguwen” were discovered on tortoise shells, which date back to the 2nd millennium BC. e. (Shang Dynasty).
In the 3rd century, paper was already widely used for writing instead of more expensive traditional materials. The paper production technology developed by Cai Lun consisted of the following: a boiling mixture of hemp, mulberry bark, old fishing nets and fabrics was turned into pulp, after which it was ground to a homogeneous paste and mixed with water. A sieve in a wooden cane frame was immersed in the mixture, the mixture was scooped out with the sieve, and the liquid was shaken to drain. At the same time, a thin and even layer of fibrous mass was formed in the sieve.
This mass was then tipped onto smooth boards. Boards with castings were placed one on top of the other. They tied the stack together and placed a load on top. Then the sheets, hardened and strengthened under the press, were removed from the boards and dried. A paper sheet made using this technology was light, smooth, durable, less yellow and more convenient for writing.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 2 - Printing
The advent of paper, in turn, led to the advent of printing. The oldest known example of woodblock printing is a Sanskrit sutra printed on hemp paper between approximately 650 and 670 CE. However, the first printed book with a standard size is considered to be the Diamond Sutra, made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It consists of scrolls 5.18 m long. According to scholar of traditional Chinese culture Joseph Needham, the printing methods used in the calligraphy of the Diamond Sutra are far superior in perfection and sophistication to the miniature sutra printed previously.
Set fonts: The Chinese statesman and polymath Shen Kuo (1031-1095) first outlined the method of printing using set font in his work "Notes on the Brook of Dreams" in 1088, attributing this innovation to the unknown master Bi Sheng. Shen Kuo described the technological process for producing baked clay type, the printing process, and the production of typefaces.
Bookbinding Technique: The advent of printing in the ninth century significantly changed the technique of binding. Towards the end of the Tang era, the book evolved from rolled up scrolls of paper into a stack of sheets resembling a modern brochure. Subsequently, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the sheets began to be folded in the center, making a “butterfly” type binding, which is why the book has already acquired a modern look. The Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) introduced the stiff paper spine, and later during the Ming Dynasty sheets were stitched with thread.
Printing in China has made a great contribution to the preservation of the rich culture that has developed over centuries.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 3 - Gunpowder
Gunpowder is believed to have been developed in China in the 10th century. It was first used as a filling in incendiary projectiles, and later explosive gunpowder projectiles were invented. Gunpowder barreled weapons, according to Chinese chronicles, were first used in battles in 1132. It was a long bamboo tube into which gunpowder was placed and then set on fire. This “flamethrower” caused severe burns to the enemy.
A century later, in 1259, a gun that fired bullets was invented for the first time - a thick bamboo tube into which a charge of gunpowder and a bullet was placed.
Later, at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, metal cannons loaded with stone cannonballs spread in the Celestial Empire.
In addition to military affairs, gunpowder was also actively used in everyday life. Thus, gunpowder was considered a good disinfectant in the treatment of ulcers and wounds, during epidemics, and it was also used to poison harmful insects.
However, perhaps the most “bright” invention that appeared thanks to the creation of gunpowder are fireworks. In the Celestial Empire they had a special meaning. According to ancient beliefs, evil spirits are very afraid of bright light and loud sounds. Therefore, since ancient times, on the Chinese New Year, there was a tradition in the courtyards of burning bonfires made of bamboo, which hissed in the fire and burst with a bang. And the invention of gunpowder charges undoubtedly frightened the “evil spirits” seriously - after all, in terms of the power of sound and light, they were significantly superior to the old method. Later, Chinese craftsmen began to create multi-colored fireworks by adding various substances to gunpowder.
Today, fireworks have become an indispensable attribute of New Year celebrations in almost all countries of the world.
Ancient Chinese Invention No. 4 - Compass
The first prototype of the compass is believed to have appeared during the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), when the Chinese began using magnetic iron ore oriented north-south. True, it was not used for navigation, but for fortune telling. In the ancient text "Lunheng", written in the 1st century AD, in chapter 52, the ancient compass is described as follows: "This instrument resembles a spoon, and when placed on a plate, its handle will point to the south."
The description of a magnetic compass for determining the cardinal directions was first set out in the Chinese manuscript “Wujing Zongyao” in 1044. The compass worked on the principle of residual magnetization from heated steel or iron blanks, which were cast in the shape of a fish. The latter were placed in a bowl of water, and weak magnetic forces appeared as a result of induction and residual magnetization. The manuscript mentions that this device was used as a heading indicator paired with a mechanical “chariot that points south.”
A more advanced compass design was proposed by the already mentioned Chinese scientist Shen Ko. In his “Notes on the Brook of Dreams” (1088), he described in detail the magnetic declination, that is, the deviation from the direction of true north, and the design of a magnetic compass with a needle. The use of a compass for navigation was first proposed by Zhu Yu in the book “Table Talks in Ningzhou” (1119).
Note:
In addition to the four great inventions of ancient China, the craftsmen of the Celestial Empire gave our civilization the following useful things: the Chinese horoscope, drum, bell, crossbow, erhu violin, gong, martial arts “wushu”, qigong health gymnastics, fork, noodles, steamer, chopsticks, tea , soy cheese tofu, silk, paper money, nail polish, bristle toothbrush, toilet paper, kite, gas cylinder, Go board game, playing cards, porcelain and much more.
It was accidentally discovered by Chinese alchemists in search of a mixture for human immortality. Initially used as a medicine.
In the beginning, gunpowder was made from a mixture of potassium nitrate (saltpeter), charcoal and sulfur and was first described in the "Collection of the most important military equipment", compiled by Zeng Guoliang in 1044. It is assumed that the discovery of gunpowder occurred somewhat earlier, since Zeng describes three different gunpowder mixtures. The Chinese used gunpowder for flares, in fireworks and in primitive grenades.
2. Compass
9. Paper money
Since paper had already been invented by the Chinese, in addition to writing all sorts of decrees on it, Emperor Xianzun of the Tang Dynasty in 806 AD created paper money. As they say, “cheap and practical.” Chinese paper currency became widely used a little later, during the Song Dynasty, when China's growing economy required large working capital. At that time, the Chinese currency was copper yuan coins. There was an acute copper deficiency. The problem was easily solved by paper bills.
Paper replaced copper, silver and gold in mutual settlements, and taxes were paid with paper money. However, the joy over this innovation did not last long. The unsupported money supply grew by leaps and bounds. The lost war with the Mongols in 1217 finally undermined Chinese confidence in paper currency for several centuries.
10. Silk
Silk was a mediator in establishing peace between ancient China and other cultures. The demand for silk was so high that the fine fabric helped link China with outside world through trade. The fabric gave birth to the legendary Silk Road — trade route, stretching from China to the Mediterranean, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Methods for creating fabrics from silkworm webs existed about 4,700 years ago. A scroll containing articles on silk production was found in a tomb from the Liangju period, which lasted from 3330 to 2200 BC. The Chinese carefully guarded the origin of silk. Control over the secret technology was lost when monks from Europe got their hands on silkworm cocoons and took them to the West.
Talented Chinese masters never cease to amaze humanity to this day. Even in the field of surrealism it is becoming more and more noticeable " Chinese hand" Chinese artist and sculptor Cai Guo Xiang showed the world several of his magnificent installations.
